And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
Here are the dying echoes of this song: and very beautiful are these closing notes-like the setting sun, shorn indeed of its noon-tide radiance, but skirting the horizon with a wavy and quivering light, as of molten gold-on which the eye delights to gaze, until it disappears from the view. The song passes not here from Christ to John, but only from Christ direct, to Christ as heralded by his Forerunner.
Verse 76. And thou, child - not, 'thou, my son,' for this child's relation to himself was lost in his relation to a Greater than either;
Shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord - that is, "before the face of the Most High." Since this epithet is in Scripture applied to the supreme God, it is inconceivable that Inspiration should here so plainly apply it to Christ, if He were not "over all, God blessed forever" (Romans 9:5).
Verse 77. To give knowledge of salvation. To sound the note of a needed and provided salvation-now at the door-was the noble, the distinguishing office of the Forerunner. By (rather, 'in') the remission of their sins, х en (G1722) afesei (G859) hamartioon (G266) autoon (G846)] - this forgiveness being, not the way, but rather the primary element of salvation (cf. 1 John 2:12). This view of salvation throws great light upon the Jewish language of Luke 1:71; Luke 1:74, about "deliverance from enemies," stamping an undeniably spiritual character upon it.
Verse 78. Through the tender mercy of our God - which is, and must be, the sole spring of all salvation for sinners;
Whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us. This may mean either Christ Himself, as "the Sun of Righteousness" arising on a dark world (so Calvin, Beza, Grotius, de Wette, Olshausen, etc., understand it), or the glorious light which He sheds: the sense is the same.
Verse 79. To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death - rather, 'in the darkness and shadow' of death-meaning, 'in the most utter darkness.' So this expression should always be understood in the Old Testament, from which it is taken. Even in Psalms 23:4, its application to the dying hour is but one, though certainly the most resistless and delightful, application of a great comprehensive truth-that believers have no reason to fear the most unrelieved darkness through which, in the mysterious providence of "the Lord their Shepherd," they may be called to pass.
To guide our feet into the way of peace. Christianity is distinguished from all other religions, not only in bringing to men what the troubled spirit most needs - "peace," even "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding" - but in opening up the one only "way of peace?"